THE INDUSTRIAL RAILWAY RECORD

Nos. 8 - p172

© DECEMBER 1965

NARROW GAUGE WAGONS

    The 2'0" gauge wagon depicted in the drawing is, at the time of writing, out of use at the Norden clay nines in Dorset of Pike Bros., Fayle & Co. Ltd. It was constructed (along with one or two others) by R.A. Lister & Co. Ltd. of Dursley in 1948, when the 3'9" gauge railway system at Norden was converted to 2'0" gauge. This type of wagon dates from August 1938 when six were ordered by the Admiralty for 2'6" gauge, being delivered in November of that year. The Norden wagons were not used very much and have now been abandoned for normal workings.

    The main dimensions of the Norden wagons are as follows:- overall length 17'9"; overall height 2'5½"; body length 15'6" ; body width 4'6"; bogie wheelbase 3'0"; wheel diameter 18"; and bogie centres 8'4". (These dimensions apply also to the Admiralty wagons except in the case of gauge and width.) The frames are steel with decking consisting of twenty-three transverse planks and six longitudinal ones. Brake gear is fitted to one bogie, the brake blocks being fibre-lined.

    The Admiralty wagons seem to have been designed for carrying cable drums and four metal eyes on each side of the frame served as points for tying down the drums; these eyes increased the width to 5'0". Adjustable chocks on the decking also helped to stop the drums from rolling. Apart from the fact that the Admiralty wagons had the brake levers bent so as to be horizontal in the off position, they were the same as those at Norden. The maximum load in each case is six tons.

    Acknowledgements are due to Messrs. R .A. Lister & Co. Ltd. for information.